Future Fisheries Project Illustration 1. Missouri River riparian restoration project located near the town of Cascade. Left photo shows bank of Missouri River before work was completed. Right photo shows bank of Missouri river after work was completed.
Future Fisheries Project Illustration 2. Removal of a fish barrier on Wolf Creek, a tributary to Little Prickly Pear Creek. Left photo shows a diversion dam on Wolf Creek creating a barrier to migrating rainbow trout. Right photo shows modification of the diversion to allow for fish passage.
Future Fisheries Project Illustration 3. Salmon Creek channel restoration project. Salmon Creek drains into the North Fork of the Blackfoot River. Left photo shows new channel during construction. Right photo shows new channel after construction.
Future Fisheries Project Illustration 4. Left photo Installation of a fish screen into a diversion on Little Prickly Pear Creek, a tributary to the Missouri River located north of Helena. Little Prickly Pear Creek is an important spawning tributary for migratory rainbow trout and brown trout from the Missouri River. Right photo Wind powered aerator installed on Salmo Reservoir located in Blaine County to prevent winter-kill of bass and bluegill.
Future Fisheries Project Illustration 5. Restoration of a 2,200-foot reach of Prickly Pear Creek located near the city of Helena. A proper dimension, pattern and profile were restored to this reach of stream, willow clumps and sod were transplanted along the stream bank and the riparian corridor was protected from overgrazing with the installation of fencing. Left photo shows stream reach prior to restoration. Right photo shows stream reach two months after restoration.
Future Fisheries Project Illustration 6. Installation of a series of step-pool structures in Warren Creek located near the town of Ovando. These step-pools provide for fish passage and create head to deliver water down a water irrigation diversion located on the left side of the photographs. Left photo shows channel during construction of step-pool structures. Right photo shows completed step-pool structures following construction.
Future Fisheries Project Illustration 7. Kleinschmidt Creek, located west of the town of Ovando, before (left photo) and after (right photo) channel restoration. This project involved restoring the dimension, pattern and profile of 12,000 feet of channel to improve habitat for resident brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout.
Future Fisheries Project Illustration 8. Sweet Grass Creek, located near the town of Big Timber, before installation of riparian fencing (left photo) and after installation of riparian fencing (right photo). This project involved the installation of nearly one mile of fencing. The riparian corridor has been managed as an exclosure since the fencing was completed. A grazing management plan will be implemented when the corridor is treated as a riparian pasture. The improved habitat provides benefits to rainbow trout, brown trout and Yellowstone cutthroat trout.
Future Fisheries Project Illustration 9. (Left photo) Work crew preparing bundles of salvaged Christmas trees for placement in strategic locations in Canyon Ferry Reservoir. These tree bundles provide for spawning and rearing habitat for yellow perch, a very popular fishery in the reservoir. (Right photo) Installation of a Denil style fish ladder located on the Boulder River east of the town of Whitehall. This ladder will provide for migratory passage over an existing irrigation diversion structure by spawning brown trout and possibly rainbow trout.
